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This has been one tough year for Steve. He talks about Pocona, the contract, and his recovery. From NOL.
CONCORD, N.C. -- When the impact from Steve Park's yellow Chevrolet turned a steel guardrail into silly putty last month at Pocono Raceway, a collective gasp of shock was released from fans nationwide.
In the eyes of many, he was already damaged goods, a frail shadow of his former self. Would he, could he, possibly escape from this accident unscathed?
"That was big for me," Park said. "The car qualified good, ran real good. Then I had that horrific crash.
"A very good thing came out of that for me. That showed people that Steve Park is not this fragile person. To survive that with minor cuts and bruises, proved that this guy is not fragile. That was a very positive wreck."
Following an accident during the Busch Series event at Darlington one year ago this weekend, Park was left with a high-grade concussion, slurred speech and blurred vision.
It was his second debilitating injury in four years, though this time around the damage was far worse than in his first accident. In 1998, Park shattered his left femur in a crash during practice at Atlanta. Unlike that injury, there was no timetable for recovery from his latest setback.
Though he was battling an unknown nemesis, Park dove into rehabilitation headfirst, working tirelessly to improve body and mind. He worked his body into its fittest form ever. He was physically prepared for a return to racing, but his eyes wouldn't relent.
"It was so frustrating - you take things like getting up and going to the bathroom for granted until you can't see right," Park said. "Trouble seeing makes everything more difficult, much less driving a car.
"I saw eye doctors from New York City to Pittsburgh to the Duke Eye Center, and they all had the same thing to say. They didn't know each other, but they all said 'I've seen this before and it's only a matter of time until you'll be okay.' That was my light at the end of the tunnel."
After six months of hard work, Park announced his comeback. He returned at Darlington -- the last track he'd competed on. He qualified fourth and surged to the lead before tangling with Stacy Compton. Nevertheless, he was back.
As wonderful as it was to be back in the saddle, Park wasn't out of the proverbial woods. Six weeks after his return, rumors began to swirl that Park would be replaced in the No. 1 Chevrolet.
For months, speculation ran rampant. Everyone from Kenny Wallace to Elliott Sadler was Park's rumored replacement. Through it all, he remained focused on that task at hand. But he was not running well -- he failed to finish in the top 20 in his first 16 races back.
But after a season-best seventh-place run in the Brickyard 400, he was granted a contract extension at DEI.
"You work so damn hard to get back, then there's the contract negotiations, people saying you're losing your job," Park said. "And on top of that, you're running bad. It's just been a tough, tough year."
The toughest of his life?
"It sure was," he continued. "I wouldn't wish the last year of my life on anybody. It was so tough. I got hurt, came back, had all the contract negotiations. It's so hard to stay focused on what matters -- running good and winning races.
"It's a distraction, not just for me but for the whole team. If the team has no direction and no idea what's going to happen with them or their driver, it makes it difficult for them to concentrate and do their job.
"I want to come out and run in the top-10 next year, and now that we know what direction this team is going in, we can pull our heads out of our asses and get going again."
This weekend, Park returns to Darlington. Some might have reservations. He welcomes the challenge.
"The attitude I have is that I want to go back," Park said. "It's that 'fall off horse, get right back on and conquer' deal. I have a lot of confidence going into this weekend. We've run good there in the past.
"I like going there. I don't want that wreck to tarnish my image of winning the Southern 500. I want to race good and win this weekend, overcome that year anniversary."
CONCORD, N.C. -- When the impact from Steve Park's yellow Chevrolet turned a steel guardrail into silly putty last month at Pocono Raceway, a collective gasp of shock was released from fans nationwide.
In the eyes of many, he was already damaged goods, a frail shadow of his former self. Would he, could he, possibly escape from this accident unscathed?
"That was big for me," Park said. "The car qualified good, ran real good. Then I had that horrific crash.
"A very good thing came out of that for me. That showed people that Steve Park is not this fragile person. To survive that with minor cuts and bruises, proved that this guy is not fragile. That was a very positive wreck."
Following an accident during the Busch Series event at Darlington one year ago this weekend, Park was left with a high-grade concussion, slurred speech and blurred vision.
It was his second debilitating injury in four years, though this time around the damage was far worse than in his first accident. In 1998, Park shattered his left femur in a crash during practice at Atlanta. Unlike that injury, there was no timetable for recovery from his latest setback.
Though he was battling an unknown nemesis, Park dove into rehabilitation headfirst, working tirelessly to improve body and mind. He worked his body into its fittest form ever. He was physically prepared for a return to racing, but his eyes wouldn't relent.
"It was so frustrating - you take things like getting up and going to the bathroom for granted until you can't see right," Park said. "Trouble seeing makes everything more difficult, much less driving a car.
"I saw eye doctors from New York City to Pittsburgh to the Duke Eye Center, and they all had the same thing to say. They didn't know each other, but they all said 'I've seen this before and it's only a matter of time until you'll be okay.' That was my light at the end of the tunnel."
After six months of hard work, Park announced his comeback. He returned at Darlington -- the last track he'd competed on. He qualified fourth and surged to the lead before tangling with Stacy Compton. Nevertheless, he was back.
As wonderful as it was to be back in the saddle, Park wasn't out of the proverbial woods. Six weeks after his return, rumors began to swirl that Park would be replaced in the No. 1 Chevrolet.
For months, speculation ran rampant. Everyone from Kenny Wallace to Elliott Sadler was Park's rumored replacement. Through it all, he remained focused on that task at hand. But he was not running well -- he failed to finish in the top 20 in his first 16 races back.
But after a season-best seventh-place run in the Brickyard 400, he was granted a contract extension at DEI.
"You work so damn hard to get back, then there's the contract negotiations, people saying you're losing your job," Park said. "And on top of that, you're running bad. It's just been a tough, tough year."
The toughest of his life?
"It sure was," he continued. "I wouldn't wish the last year of my life on anybody. It was so tough. I got hurt, came back, had all the contract negotiations. It's so hard to stay focused on what matters -- running good and winning races.
"It's a distraction, not just for me but for the whole team. If the team has no direction and no idea what's going to happen with them or their driver, it makes it difficult for them to concentrate and do their job.
"I want to come out and run in the top-10 next year, and now that we know what direction this team is going in, we can pull our heads out of our asses and get going again."
This weekend, Park returns to Darlington. Some might have reservations. He welcomes the challenge.
"The attitude I have is that I want to go back," Park said. "It's that 'fall off horse, get right back on and conquer' deal. I have a lot of confidence going into this weekend. We've run good there in the past.
"I like going there. I don't want that wreck to tarnish my image of winning the Southern 500. I want to race good and win this weekend, overcome that year anniversary."
